MOVING MILESTONES—NANTUCKET
Reading edition
MIDNIGHT, Black, and a wild sea of stars, A gold-white surf of stars whose sparkling foam Breaks into waves on occult ether bars, Where star-tides have their deep eternal home. All night the solemn Wonder sweeps me by; Arcturus, Vega, Spica cross the sky On one fixed path, by laws that do not change, Unfailing while all other laws derange. Midnight, black; and a wild horde of fears, The brains half-knowledge and the hearts fierce pride Questions me cold and distant to my tears; Yet on my thought the old true Visions glide— Tenderness, Truth, Unselfishness; their lights Travel the wastes and glimmer on the heights. So may I keep my way, whose avatars Gave me a path that leads beyond the Stars.